Kokoro Mitsukeru Heiwa
by Saishi
Summary: FY/GW crossover. When Quatre makes a wish on the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho, he hardly expects the results that follow...
1. Prelude

Kokoro Mitsukeru Heiwa - Prologue  
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The sun was just beginning to crest the trees, the morning light glistening off the dew that clung to every object it came into contact with. Even the wooden planks of the walkways around the palace of Konan were a home for the tiny droplets. The birds were singing their songs, the melody drifting throughout the grounds as the residents of the palace began to wake slowly.   
  
"Oooohhh, I catch one of those blasted things and it's getting a one way trip to the kitchen." Slender arms reached up, pulling the blanket from the end of the bed and heaping it on top of the pillow... and the head that rested on it. Nuriko curled into a ball, one end of his long violet braid dangling off the bed as he worked the quilt into a ball that blocked out light and noise. Unfortunately, it also blocked out air. He sat up finally, eyes barely opening as he took in a deep breath then looked around the room with a scowl. Nuriko was *not* a morning person, never had been, really. Now, however, there was something else nagging at the back of his mind that was just making him even more irritated.  
  
Shuffling over to the dressing table, he leaned forward and looked into the mirror there, sticking his tongue out at the image reflected back at him. "Suzaku, I hate mornings." He sighed, dropping into the chair and nearly falling out of it onto the floor as his world spun for a few moments. Grabbing hold of the edge of the table to keep himself upright, he nearly bent the metal with the force he exerted upon it. He blinked once his vision cleared, bringing one hand to his forehead in confusion. What the hell was that all about? Nuriko sighed, bringing around the end of his braid and untying the cloth strip that held his hair back. Unwinding the three sections of hair, he reached for a brush with his other hand, lifting a brow as he realized that everything seemed to be in much sharper focus today... almost as if he were looking at it through one of those spyglasses that Chiriko had shown him not long ago. Strange...  
  
One hand grasped his hair near the scalp while the other worked the brush through the snarls that formed while he'd slept, loosening them slowly. Once the majority of the length was shining from the gentle treatment, he released his grip, starting from the scalp and working backward. As he moved the first stroke, he winced, biting back a cry when the simple motion nearly brought stars to his vision. The swirling dizziness took over again and this time he found himself falling, hitting the floor with a yelp of surprise. Things began to fall into place in his mind then... the dizziness, the queasy feeling in the pit of his stomach, the sensitivity of his vision, and the fact that his HAIR hurt. "Oh no..." he muttered, the words piercing through his hearing as if they'd been shouted. He knew damned well what was happening now.  
  
It had been almost three years since Nuriko had experienced a migraine... he'd almost forgotten completely about them. He didn't even bother getting to his feet, instead just crawling along the floor until he'd reached his bed once more. He crept under the covers, bringing the blankets around his head with a stifled moan as the soft pulse behind his eyes grew steadily worse. This was not going to be a good day. The slightly sick feeling he'd had only got worse as he curled into a ball, whimpering faintly as the sound of his body against the sheets was amplified almost to the point of resembling sandpaper against metal. Maybe Mitsukake could help... if he could make it that far. As soon as the thought of movement crossed his mind, he felt his stomach lurch and was suddenly very glad that he hadn't eaten anything yet today... maybe he'd just wait and see if this went away on its own. Besides, someone would come looking for him eventually.  
  
* * *  
  
Pale blue eyes skimmed over the page, then switched to the other book laying on the bed. Translation was going slowly... after all, he didn't exactly know Chinese that well, regardless of how much he'd been studying lately. It had taken him nearly an hour just to muddle through one sentence. Sighing heavily, he fell back onto the bed, letting the book close in his hand. Chinese literature was some of his favourite, but this particular story was surpassing even his expectations. The characters were so real in his mind it was almost as if he could reach out and touch them. He looked to the side then, reaching for a printout and bringing the paper into his vision. It showed the old Chinese star maps, the realms of the four animal gods from ancient times, and the stars that they claimed as their own. As his fingers moved over the symbols, his lips forming the foreign syllables gently. He'd managed to pair up the constellations with the people in the book that they represented and his heart went out to the one currently in pain. He knew *very* well what a migraine was like. Even though it was only a story, he still felt badly. In those times, did they even have medicines for that?   
  
Shrugging faintly, he let the paper fall next to the book and glanced towards the open window nearby. The sun had just recently set, the orange and crimson clouds telling of rain this night. He smiled at that, personally loving the rain and the way it made him feel. It was peaceful, and he could almost forget everything that was happening in this screwed up world.  
  
"Quatre! Dinner!" Duo's voice echoed up the stairs and the blonde pulled himself from the bed, letting the books lay where they were. His eyes found the red binding of the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho again, and he sighed rather wistfully. "I wish he could help us... I wish any of them could. Maybe if the gods paid as much attention here as they do there, none of this would have happened." A faint smile graced his features then. "At the very least, we could help with the headache, ne?" With that, he turned and left the room, heading downstairs. He never noticed the deep crimson glow coming from his room... it only lasted a few moments, then faded into twilight darkness once more.  
  
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TBC 


	2. Chapter 1

Kokoro Mitsukeru Heiwa - Chapter 1  
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Duo kept the conversation going during dinner, much to the chagrin of the two others at the table. Wufei was pointedly ignoring the braided one, and Quatre was too absorbed in his own thoughts to notice much of anything. More than once, Duo had cast his gaze to the Arab pilot, frowing faintly as he saw the slender hand reaching up almost unconsciously to grasp at the fabric covering his chest. Wufei hadn't really seen the actions of his comrade, he was too intent on ignoring Duo. Heero and Trowa may have noticed, but they weren't here. It was very rare that the pilots were all in the same place at the same time... less of a target if they split up.   
  
"Hey Quatre?" Duo's brows furrowed as the other boy nearly jumped out of his chair, obviously startled by the sudden words. "Are you alright?"  
  
"I.. yes... no." He sighed, bringing his other hand to rub at his forehead. "I don't know. I just feel strange."  
  
"Define strange." Wufei had now taken note of the conversation and his attention was riveted on Quatre. Duo had risen from his chair and was standing to the side of the blonde, shifting his gaze between the two.   
  
"If I could explain it, it wouldn't be strange." Quatre shook his head slightly, bringing up his gaze towards them. "Remember when Heero self-destructed? I felt something similar then, but this isn't as strong as that was, and I..." He paused, looking to Duo and Wufei and seeing their expressions of confusion. "...and I'm not making any sense, am I?" Their silence was answer enough. They were concerned about him, that much was obvious, but they probably also thought he was a few cards short of a deck at the moment. "Nevermind. I'm going to go lie down. Maybe that will make me feel better." He pushed back from the table, rising to his feet and making his way out of the room towards the stairs.   
  
As his form disappeared from sight, Duo remained where he stood, one hand grasping the back of the recently vacated chair. A quick glance to Wufei showed that for once, the two of them were thinking along the same lines. Whatever was happening, they'd better keep a close eye on Quatre.  
  
The object of their concern had turned down the hallway, one hand absently rubbing at the center of his chest as he tried to pinpoint just where this troubling sensastion was coming from. It wasn't any of them here, that much was certain. If it had been Heero or Trowa, it likely would have been much stronger. The softly lilting tone of his voice flitted through the darkness as a string of Arabic curses left his lips, his mind unable or unwilling to figure out just what his heart was trying to tell him. Quatre moved into his room, his eyes adjusting to the dim light... only to let out a stifled gasp at what he saw. His bed was in shambles, the covers all gathered in the center and the precious books scattered on the floor nearby. Darting forward, he slid to his knees, picking up the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho with trembling hands. Oh Allah, if anything had happened to the book, Wufei was going to KILL him! Only then did his mind register the fact that he had NOT left the room in this condition.  
  
He got to his feet, backing up quickly as his eyes narrowed, his gaze slanting about the room quickly. *Stupid, Winner, that was just STUPID!* He thought to himself. If anyone had been here to take him out, they would have had ample opportunity already. That only left one other area to check. Setting the book down without a sound, Quatre reached over to the blankets. His fingers curled around one edge, getting a firm grip before he moved with the speed of a viper, yanking the coverings off the bed. A startled yelp and cry of pain coursed through the room, and it only took the pilot an instant to take the three steps to the nightstand and flick on the light there. His eyes widened, taking in the image of the trembling form on the floor. Violet hair... the clothing reminiscent of China in days long past... Allah, this couldn't be.  
  
His thoughts were stopped as a few softly whispered words came from the stranger. Dazed rose-tinted eyes glanced up to gaze directly into his own, and in that instant... all hell broke loose.  
  
* * *  
  
Duo fairly flew up the stairs as the resounding crash echoed through the house. Wufei had gone outside shortly after Quatre had gone to his room, leaving the Deathscythe pilot alone on the lower floor of the safehouse. As he skidded to a stop in front of Quatre's door, his jaw hit the ground. Quatre stood in the center of the room, pistol drawn and aimed for the figure that was pressed back against the wall. The figure in question was glaring at the blonde, but there was something about his actions that just wasn't right. Duo stepped into the light, one hand reaching to the small of his back and bringing out his own gun. "What the hell's going on here?" He growled, keeping his attention focused on the one person he didn't recognize.  
  
Nuriko let his gaze flick between the two, crouching down faintly in an attempt to gain a better center of balance. There were only two... he could take them easily, but that would still leave him not knowing just where the hell he was. "Who are you...." He whispered, the words echoing in his still-sensitive hearing. "Where am I and how did I get here?"  
  
Quatre faltered for a moment, the lyrical speech hitting his ears with a semblance of familiarity that only teased his mind. He knew this language... but not well enough to tell what the other was saying. Almost as soon as that thought had cleared, another appeared to take it's place. His hand released its hold on the gun, letting it fall to the ground as he brought both hands up in a show of peace. He could almost hear Duo's astonishment, but stopped the braided one before he could even speak. "Go get Wufei."  
  
"What the-.."  
  
"NOW!"  
  
Duo had never heard that tone in Quatre's voice before. While he was hesitant to leave him alone and unarmed with this stranger, Quatre seemed to know what he was doing. Stepping back into the hall, Duo disappeared down the stairs as fast as he could run.  
  
Sighing softly, Quatre remained where he was, not making any sudden motions whatsoever. "I know you can't understand me," He said softly. "But you're safe here." Neither of them were completely relaxed, but for the moment it seemed that they both understood that the other didn't really mean any harm. Or so it seemed. Tension hung thick in the air between them until a faint pounding alerted them to the fact that the others were returning. Wufei came to a stop in the doorway, his hands pressed to the frame as he looked between the two in the room.   
  
"Quatre, are you-..."  
  
"I'm fine, Wufei, but he's not." He made a motion towards the one across the room. "He can't understand a word I'm saying, and unless I miss my guess, he's speaking Chinese. It may be an archaic form of the language, but you've got the best chance of all of us. He's scared to death and doesn't know what's happening."  
  
Wufei looked skeptical at best... Duo had told him what he knew, which wasn't much, admittedly. However, it troubled him greatly that someone could have infiltrated this place without their knowledge. Sighing inwardly, he decided to give Quatre the benefit of the doubt and stepped forward, his hands raised at his sides as he shifted his thoughts and speech over into Chinese. #"You're safe here. What is your name?"#  
  
Nuriko's eyes widened and he whipped about to face Wufei. #"You... you can understand me?"#  
  
Deep brown eyes focused intently as Wufei took another step forward slowly. It was definately an older form of his native tongue, but not impossible to understand. From the sound of it, the other was having little trouble comprehending his own modern version as well. #"I understand you."#  
  
#"Who are you?"# The voice trembled faintly, and Wufei could see the agitation and pain behind those eyes. The nervousness he could understand, but what was the cause for the other?  
  
"Quatre, do you know what happened to him?" The Chinese pilot never took his attention off of the one against the wall, but switched easily between the two conversations. #"My name is Wufei. Who are you, and how did you get here?"#  
  
"I can't say for certain, Wufei." Quatre began, even as he heard the violet-haired one answer simultaneously. Once the other had stopped speaking, he heard Wufei respond before turning to face him directly. "I was reading that book you told me of... the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho, and I could swear he's a character from there."  
  
"Nuriko." Wufei said flatly. "His name is Nuriko and he has no idea how he got here. He fell asleep in his quarters and awoke here."  
  
Quatre's hands dropped to his side as his lips parted as if to speak. Shock prevented anything from emerging, however, and he simply stared at Nuriko. The Seishi looked between the two of them, then focused on the third, who had been forgotten in his unusual silence. Duo threw his hands up into the air, half turning towards them.   
  
"You mean to tell me that this guy stepped out of some book Quatre's reading? Oi, if it were that easy, I could think of a few I'D like to see come to life!"  
  
Wufei just growled softly, shaking his head. This was going to be interesting to say the least.   
  
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TBC 


	3. Chapter 2

Kokoro Mitsukeru Heiwa - Chapter 2  
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The images seemed to swirl before his eyes, the surreal dreamscape taking on hues and twisting patterns that defied all semblance of normalcy. It was as if he were walking within a whirlwind of flowing silks and mist, nothing remaining the same for longer than a few seconds at a time. It was soothing in its own way, but his dreams weren't usually like this. Looking down, his feet came into contact with a surface of some kind, or at least that's how it seemed. The same kaliedoscope of colours played beneath his steps, but it was almost as if he walked above the visual melody.   
  
"Who are you... where am I?"  
  
The voice brought him back to his senses, the pattern shifting faintly in response. He moved forward, toward the familiar sound that seemed to beckon to him.   
  
"You understand me?"  
  
Suddenly it was as if the entire world around him exploded into an array of crimson, the flaring light blinding him as he brought up his arms to shield himself.   
  
"Chichiri, wake up!"  
  
The covers were flung away as he sat up, his breath ragged in his throat, a thin sheen of sweat glistening on his skin. As the room came into focus, he saw Miaka, her eyes tinged with worry. Something had happened... something wasn't right. The light he'd seen reminded him of the one Heika had told him of when Miaka had returned to this world. But if she were here, then it couldn't have been. "Miaka, what's wrong?"  
  
She looked as though she were going to break into tears right before him, and he had the growing feeling that the crimson glow he'd seen was more than just a coincidental dream. "It's Nuriko... he's gone!"  
  
* * *  
  
The bed was rumpled... actually, that was putting it mildly. There was a chance that Nuriko had been taken against his will, but Chichiri dismissed that thought almost immediately, despite the fact that some of the dressing table's contents were scattered on the ground. If anyone had tried forcing Nuriko out of this room, it would have woken everyone within voice range. He'd heard Nuriko's scream only once, and it had been enough to send his ears ringing. The monk crouched down next to the bed, running his hands over the silken sheets. There was energy here, and he would have been a fool not to recognize it. It was the power of Suzaku, and for whatever reason the Phoenix God had deemed necessary, he had taken Nuriko from them. But to where?  
  
Chichiri sighed, bowing his head forward. The pale blue of his hair contrasted sharply with the deep burgundy of the bedsheets as his head rested against the side, his thoughts spinning. His one good eye focused on the floorboards as if he were picking out minute flaws. What was he going to tell the others? Miaka was already frantic, but he hadn't allowed her to come into the room while he looked around. They were going to have to find out sooner or later, but the timing on this was absolutely horrid.  
  
The boat was being readied even now, the trip to Hokkan only a day or two away. They had to get the shinzaho of Genbu if they had any hope whatsoever in summoning Suzaku now. It was bad enough that Heika was being left behind, but now to lose Nuriko as well... would five of them be enough?   
  
"We'll have to be," he said, more to himself than anyone. They had no choice. The shinzaho MUST be found before the Seiryuu seishi discovered their existance. The gods could only be summoned with the presence of all seven seishi, and the scroll of the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho. The Seiryuu had lost one of their own number, and now the Suzaku had lost their scroll. The only option that remained open to them was retrieving the sacred relic of the summoning of Genbu. Chichiri could only hope that they weren't too late.  
  
Pushing himself to stand, he brought his cloak about himself tightly and stepped out of the room. Miaka was on him in a flash, demanding to know what he'd found, if anything. "Come with me, Miaka-chan. This is something for the others to hear as well." She fell silent immediately, her hands worrying at the hem of her jacket as she fell into step beside him. They made their way to the Emperor's study where he and Chiriko were going over the travel plans to Hokkan. Their gazes lifted to meet the two as they entered, but without a word being spoken both the Emperor and the child prodigy knew that something was dreadfully wrong.  
  
Before they could speak, the monk simply held up a hand, shaking his head softly. "We need to gather the others. Then I can explain." Miaka turned and ran down the walkway, knowing where Tamahome and Tasuki likely were. Chiriko only nodded once and walked in the opposite direction to find the healer, Mitsukake, and bring him to the study as well. Once they were alone, Hotohori arched a brow and stepped aorund the table towards Chichiri.   
  
"This is serious, I gather." Hotohori's words were only met by a curt nod, and neither man spoke after that. The tension in the room only grew as Mitsukake arrived with Chiriko, and Miaka returned with Tamahome holding tightly to her. Tasuki's voice echoed down the walkway as he came into sight, stalking towards them.  
  
"This had better be good." The bandit growled, looking for all the world as if he'd just stumbled out of bed... which he likely had. He stopped cold as Chichiri removed the mask which hid his face from view, revealing his worried expression. A soft gasp came from Chiriko, but the child almost immediately regained his composure. He'd never before seen the monk without the smiling visage he always presented to others. Nor had he seen the jagged scar which trailed its way across Chichiri's face, sealing the left eye forever. Whatever was about to be revealed, it was serious indeed.  
  
"We may have to make the trip to Hokkan with only the five of us. I'm sure that I was not the only one to feel the surge of power within the palace this morning." A few soft nods from Chiriko and Tasuki let him know that he was correct in that assumption. "Suzaku has taken Nuriko from us. We--"  
  
"WHAT??" Tasuki nearly jumped forward, eyes widened. "You mean he's..."  
  
"Bu shi (1), Tasuki." Chichiri knew he had to stop the flame-haired bandit's rant before it even got started. "He's alive. But he's been taken from this place in a manner similar to which Miaka was brought here."  
  
"Which means that he may be in my world?" Miaka spoke quietly, her eyes downcast as if she were in thought. "But why?"  
  
"I can't say for certain, Miaka-chan." Chichiri whispered, turning his gaze to the others in turn. "But we can't delay the trip to Hokkan. If he hasn't returned by the time the boat is ready to set sail, we will have to go on without him."  
  
* * *  
  
Nuriko remained against the wall, only relaxing slightly as he spoke with the only one here who didn't speak in gibberish. His gaze kept moving between the three, memorizing what details he could as the dark-haired one... Wufei, he remembered... told him what they knew. This was all too strange, even for him. This place was NOT Konan, or any other place he'd ever been. It smelled different, the air itself was enough to send his already amplified senses reeling. Some of the conversation was lost as his head pounded, the migraine having no care whatsoever for the fact that it's bearer had just found himself wrenched away from all he knew. The other two, Duo and Quatre, were odd of themselves. Duo reminded him a lot of Miaka. Granted, he was a male version, and quite a bit more violent, but the personality was similar. Quatre was a gaijin, that much was plain just by looking at him. The blonde hair and blue eyes struck a chord in him, bringing back the memories of the Kutou shogun that Tamahome and Miaka had described. But this one couldn't be like that... something told Nuriko that he meant no harm and had only been just as surprised to see a stranger appear in his room.  
  
From what he'd been able to pick out of Wufei's explanation, this could very well be the world that Miaka had come from. Then again, he was too disoriented to know for certain. Without warning, he felt his knees buckle beneath him and he sagged against the wall. In an instant, he felt arms wrapped around him, helping him to the bed to lie down. As the darkness curled around his vision, he saw those sea-ice eyes focusing on him in concern. "Xiexie..." He whispered, before falling into the blessed unconsciousness that took away the pain if only for a bit.  
  
"What did..." Quatre raised a brow, looking to Wufei in confusion.   
  
"He said 'thank you'." Wufei sighed, rubbing his hands over his eyes. "I'm going to go and get some rest. If I'm going to be his translator, then I'm going to need to be awake when he is."  
  
"I'll keep an eye on him while he sleeps." The Arab pilot pulled the blankets up over Nuriko's sleeping form, then went to sit in a chair nearby, dimming the light until it was only a faint glow in the room. "When he wakes, I'll come and get you."  
  
Wufei nodded, slipping from the room and disappearing down the hall. Duo had moved to the other side of the bed and was looking down at its occupant curiously.  
  
"What is it, Duo?"  
  
He shook his head slightly, not taking his eyes off the other. "I'm not sure. This is all just a little hard to believe. He really came out of a book?"  
  
"It seems so." Quatre replied, casting his gaze to Nuriko as well. "This is all my fault... and now we have to figure out how to send him back."  
  
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TBC  
  
(1) Bu shi - 'no'.  
  
A bit of explaining is in order here. The original Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho was written in Chinese. It was translated into Japanese, hence the book that Miaka and Yui were able to read. (At least that's the premise I'm going on. Miaka made mention that she didn't know Yui could read Chinese, but later on, Keisuke and Miaka were both able to read it, so I'm going on the assumption that they were reading the Japanese translation.) This lends to the idea that there are actally TWO copies of the book in the world. The original and the translation. I'm also going off an idea that was put forth in another fanfic by Lys ap Adin entitled 'Omake and Omae o Korosu'. (Located at Gundam Addiction archive) In this fic, it was suggested that there were actually three worlds: The book world, Miaka and Yui's world, and the much more violent world of the Gundam boys. Therefore... in this story the Gundam world is different from the world of the Mikos... and Quatre is muddling through reading the original Chinese version of the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho. 


	4. Chapter 3

Kokoro Mitsukeru Heiwa - Chapter 3  
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Quatre woke slowly, the feeling of something being 'not quite right' infiltrating his mind. Turning onto his side, he let out a gasp of pain as the muscles to either side of his neck spasmed without warning. He brought up one hand but found another there before he even knew it. Strong fingers kneaded at the muscle and he was vaguely aware of melodious speech floating past his hearing. There was an answer from the direction of the bed and his eyes flew open, staring towards a smirking Wufei.  
  
"Good morning, Starshine. So much for you waking me when Nuriko got up." Wufei shook his head as Quatre blushed and began stammering an apology. "Stop that. He moves quietly, he even snuck up on me. We nearly put each other through a wall. It's no wonder you never woke up."  
  
The blonde tilted his head back, wincing at the tensed muscles as they protested the motion. There, smiling down at him was Nuriko, looking much more cheerful than he'd been the night before. Groaning faintly, Quatre curled back up in the chair as he realized that there was sunlight outside the window, and from the looks of it, it was nearly noon. "WHY did you let me sleep this long?" There was a quick exchange in Chinese, and the Arab found himself hard pressed to keep up with it. He knew a little, but without being able to look it up, he was useless. He caught a few words here and there, however wasn't able to respond.  
  
"He wanted to know what you said. That's why he came to find me to begin with. He recognized English, just couldn't understand it... but apparently you mutter in Arabic in your sleep and threw him completely for a loop."  
  
"Remind me never to sleep in a chair again." Quatre grumbled, yelping as Nuriko's hands found a particularly stubborn knot. He looked up again, smiling softly to the fey seishi. The gesture was returned and Quatre could have sworn he felt a bit of relief from the other...   
  
* * *  
  
Nuriko was just happy that he was able to help. Wufei had told him how Quatre had been concerned for him, and had been the one to catch him when he fell. He'd woken this morning rather confused, and the first thing he'd seen was the blonde curled up in the chair next to the bed. Part of him was puzzled as to why someone he didn't know would do that for him... another part of him was flattered. No one had ever gone to that length before, just to make certain he was alright.   
  
Wufei had explained everything that they knew, about how he'd gotten here and where 'here' was. It was still confusing. This place didn't seem anything like the world Miaka had told them of, it was far more violent, from what he could tell. These boys... he couldn't help but call them boys, they were even younger than he was... were fighting a war at their age. True, if they were in Konan, they'd likely be called to arms should the need arise, but that was a foreign concept in Miaka's world, really. He had flipped through the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho that they had here, half reading it while Wufei told him of this world and its ways. It was confusing, to say the least. However, from what he read, Chichiri and the others knew he was gone even if they didn't know why. Suzaku, HE didn't even know why he was here. Apparently the Phoenix God had determined the need, rather like when Miaka had come to Konan. Now he just needed to figure out what to do to get home.   
  
The blond... Quatre, he'd been told, was nearly purring in the chair. Nuriko had known he'd be stiff as a board when he woke up. Sleeping in a chair wasn't good for anyone, no matter how young they were. Sure enough, he'd felt the muscles of his neck cramping, almost as if he'd slept awkwardly... when he and Wufei had come into the room, Quatre was just starting to stir. The Chinese pilot seemed surprised that Nuriko had felt it, and to be honest, Nuriko wasn't too sure of it himself. He'd heard of people 'feeling' things from others, but it had never happened to him before. He was just about to open his mouth to ask Wufei about that, when the third pilot came running in. Nuriko heard the urgency in the others voice and immediately tensed, even though he couldn't understand what was being said. Whatever it was, it made Wufei spring up from his seat on the bed and race out the door, shouting something over his shoulder to Quatre, who was already out of the chair and grabbing a few of the books that were scattered on the nightstand. Nuriko was barely able to register the fact that something was wrong before his hand was grabbed and he found himself racing through the house, half dragged by the smaller boy.  
  
* * *  
  
Quatre held the precious books under one arm as he pulled Nuriko with the other. There was no time to explain, no time to get Wufei to make the other understand. He could only hope that what was about to happen didn't traumatize the violet-haired seishi any more than the previous night had. Quatre caught himself almost laughing at that thought. This was likely to be far worse.   
  
The door slammed back against the side of the safehouse as they raced out, heading for a cluster of trees not far from the building. There was the sudden sound of a blast nearby and the Arab found himself thrown to the ground, dirt scattering and landing over him. He saw Nuriko land not far from him, and was amazed to see the slender man immediately jump back to his feet and fall into a defensive position. Oh Allah, no... he has no idea...  
  
He scrambled to his feet, making sure the books were still intact as he closed the distance between himself and the seishi. "Nuriko!! You can't fight them, not this way!!"  
  
Nuriko spun around, eyes widened in barely veiled fear as another explosion nearly took out half the house behind them. He focused on Quatre, recognizing him for a friend as he began to shout. #"What the hell is happening? What's causing this??" #   
  
Even if Quatre had understood the Chinese, he could barely make out the words amidst the blasts that were intent on bringing down the house and everything around it. Just then, things went from bad to worse. Duo had apparently made it to the Gundams, because Deathscythe rose above the treetops and moved to engage the OZ suits that were closing on the two people still on the ground.   
  
Nuriko took one look at the Gundam and moved to run back towards the only safe spot he knew... the house. His mind wasn't working right, he knew that much. However, all reason had just gone out the window when that... that... THING appeared. Sweet Suzaku, this can't be happening, he thought to himself as he turned to bolt. That was the last thought that crossed his mind before everything went black.  
  
"Damnit." Quatre swore as he brought back his hand form where it had just impacted with the back of Nuriko's neck. "I hope you forgive me for that." He muttered as he dropped the books and picked up the fallen one, slinging him over one shoulder. At least he wasn't that heavy, or this would get even worse. His free hand scooped up the one book that mattered, leaving the rest behind as he made his way to the shelter of the trees.   
  
Shenlong came to rest in the clearing they had just vacated, Wufei keeping himself and his Gundam between the OZ troops and the remaining pilot while Quatre got himself and Nuriko to safety. Wufei hadn't thought of their 'guest', his mind geared only for survival as they had fled. It would have been better if Nuriko had come with him, he would have at least been able to explain what all this was. Although in this situation, he couldn't blame Quatre for incapacitating the seishi. This was dangerous enough without worrying about someone who had never even dreamed of machines such as the mobile suits.  
  
"05, clear out. We're safe and heading away." Quatre's voice crackled over the comm link as Sandrock took off, heading away from the safehouse as fast as it could. There was no reason for him to stay, the OZ mobile suits were almost completely destroyed. Deathscythe was mopping up a small cluster that had tried to flank Atlong and get to the last Gundam in the trees, but that would be over soon as well. There was only one thing left to do. Wufei brought Atlong around, extending the arms of his suit as the dragon's head flame throwers snapped into place. They had no warning about the attack, and there were items left in the house that could possibly mark them as Gundam pilots and reveal the identities that they'd fought so hard to keep hidden. As the twin blasts of flame seared across the distance between Atlong and the building, Wufei smiled inwardly. There would be nothing left when he was finished.   
  
Peripheral vision told him that Deathscythe was away, taking to the skies and leaving what remained of the OZ ground troops to whatever fate would befall them for failing. Now was the time. Wufei saw the small metal canister drop in front of him a moment before he sprang away, closing his eyes as Deathscythe's flash grenade exploded, blinding those left behind so that the Gundams could make their escape.  
  
"This is 05... split up and get to ground. We'll fight again another day."  
  
Duo's image flickered on the screen for just an instant, saluting him. "Roger that, 05. Until then, keep your ass alive." The transmission ended as quickly as it had begun and Wufei saw the Deathscythe's ECM's take effect. cloaking the Gundam from sight and effectively making it vanish before his eyes.   
  
"04 here. What am I supposed to do with my passenger?" No visual came across, however it was normal for Quatre to use audio only.   
  
Wufei just smirked, shaking his head as he punched coordinates into his navigation system. "Either learn Chinese or teach him English. I'll contact you after things settle down." He ended the transmission then, wondering exactly how much Quatre was going to curse him for that statement. If he had heard or could understand the diatribe of Arabic insults that were leveled his way from the cockpit of the Sandrock at that moment, it likely would have given him a coronary.  
  
Quatre just sighed, staring at the screens in front of him long after his imagination had left him at a loss for describing what he was going to do to Wufei when he caught up with him. His gaze dropped to the side of the pilot's seat, to the figure that was strapped into place with a jury-rigged harness. He hadn't wanted to take the chance of having to make evasive maneuvers. The last thing he needed was for Nuriko to get slammed around. Bad enough the seishi was probably going to kill him when he woke up.  
  
"Nuriko... I'm sorry."   
  
* * *  
  
Nuriko could hear words... he heard the apology and was surprised to be able to understand it for its meaning. *Amazing what can happen in dreams,* he thought, letting himself remain in the soft security that was his own mind. For a moment, he could have sworn he'd seen Hotohori, seated against his throne as he always had been. Then Chiriko and the others flickered into view... but something wasn't right. They were on a boat that Nuriko had never seen before. Was he seeing them in his own world? They'd been about to make the trip to Hokkan, he remembered that... Had the others already left? How much time had passed there? Suddenly, he saw Chiriko turn and stare at him with widened eyes.   
  
"Nuriko-san??"  
  
"Chiriko!! Can you hear me?" Nuriko threw himself towards the image, reaching out his hands as if to grasp hold of the other seishi. Just when it seemed that he would grasp the other and be pulled back to the safety of his friends, a brilliant flash of red light drove its way between them, sending Nuriko flying back. He shrieked, bringing up his hands defensively, his eyes closing against the brightness.   
  
He felt himself come to rest once more, curled on his side. As his eyes opened, the vision was gone, replaced only by the slightly surreal dreamscape that he had always known. A strange keening cry filled the void, rising in pitch until it seemed that it was all that existed. It remained, varying in degrees until it simply became a staggered sob that echoed around him.   
  
It was only when Nuriko felt the hot streak of tears sliding down his face that he realized the sound was coming from his own lips.  
  
* * *  
  
Quatre reached up suddenly, clutching as his chest. He couldn't breathe, the dull ache in his heart increasing with each passing moment. A soft moan made him turn and he saw the still-unconscious Nuriko struggling against the harness, trying to curl forward. At that moment, he knew exactly where the ache came from... and what was likely causing it.  
  
"I'm sorry, my friend... I wished for a way to make things better and it appears that all I've done is cause you trouble. This is my fault. And I swear to you, I will find a way to make it right again."  
  
----------------------------  
  
TBC  
  
  



	5. Chapter 4

Kokoro Mitsukeru Heiwa - Chapter 4  
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The ship was moving at a decent pace. It would be a long journey regardless, but Chichiri was comfortable knowing that Konan's shores were already out of sight behind them. At the bow of the ship he sat, arms and legs crossed as he contemplated all that had happened. It hadn't been that long after he'd discovered Nuriko's disappearance that the others had been made known of it, and they'd decided to go on with their plans regardless. There was nothing else to do, really. It wasn't going to be easy, though... that much they'd known to begin with and now it was even worse. Hotohori had to stay behind, his duties as Emperor wouldn't allow for him to leave. That much had been expected. What hadn't been anticipated was the absence of the strongest of the seishi as well. The five remaining seishi and their Miko had been particularly subdued as the ship set sail.  
  
Tamahome had been holding up well, even though he had the added weight of his family's death on his shoulders. Sweet Suzaku, if only they'd gotten there sooner. Chichiri shook his head at that, lowering his gaze to the deck of the ship. No... all things happened for a reason, and this was no exception. Still... the thought of those children lying dead on the ground infuriated him. Slender hands tightened around his arms as he looked out at the water before them once more. It was then that he felt it... the searing flare of raw power that could only be caused by one of the seishi. Or in the case of the sheer strength of this particular surge, it could only be Suzaku himself!  
  
He rose to his feet quickly, whipping around to look over the ship. It didn't take long for him to pinpoint the energy flare and jump down to the main deck, taking off at full speed towards it. There, standing in the midst of a visible circle of crimson light, was Chiriko, the youngest of the seishi. He seemed to be staring at something just before himself, one arm outstretched as he darted forward. Chichiri heard a name shouted from the boy's lips as the glow surrounding him brightened for a brief moment, then vanished altogether. Chichiri was half expecting his comrade to have vanished as well, but let out a breath of relief when he saw Chiriko kneeling on the deck near where he'd been standing a few moments before. Stepping forward, Chichiri approached the boy, placing a hand on his shoulder.  
  
Chiriko was fighting back tears, his eyes glistening with moisture as he looked up to the blue-haired monk. "I saw him, Chichiri. I tried to reach him, but I couldn't."  
  
"Who did you see, no da?" Chichiri lowered himself to the deck then, sitting next to the younger seishi. As the words left his lips, he knew instinctively what had happened. "Nuriko?"  
  
The boy just nodded, looking forlornly back towards the spot where the crimson light has originated. "I saw him. He looked lost, and then he saw me. I know he saw me because he called out to me. He was trying to reach us, and I almost had him, I swear it. Then the light grew so bright that I couldn't see... and then it was gone." Sighing softly, Chiriko's shoulder hunched forward and he looked down to his hands. "I should have been faster."  
  
"No, Chiriko. I don't think it would have mattered, no da." At the boy's surprise, Chichiri just held up a hand. The other seishi immediately stopped what he'd been about to say and waited for the monk to finish. "I wasn't present for this, but heard about it from Heika and Tamahome both. Before I joined the seishi, and long before we found you, Miaka and Tamahome were nearly captured by the Emperor's guard after she inadvertantly showed dishonor towards him, no da." He nearly smiled at the look of shock on Chiriko's face. "You see, the Emperor didn't know that she was the Suzaku no Miko just yet. No one did, no da. Tamahome rescued her from the guard, but before they could get away, a deep red glow surrounded her, much like what you just saw, and she faded right out of his grasp." The monk looked up towards the sky then, trying to remember all of the details he'd been told. It had been a while, but his memory had never failed him yet.  
  
"According to what she told Tamahome afterward, she had nearly been taken back to her own world, no da. But something had stopped her, and Suzaku brought her back. That may have been what just happened to Nuriko. Almost able to return, but not quite, no da. The Miko's mission on this world hadn't been completed yet, and apparently neither has Nuriko's on whatever world he's been taken to."  
  
Chiriko simply nodded, dropping his gaze once more. "I hope that whatever it is, he comes back soon. I didn't know him well, but he talked to me and made me welcome. I've only been here a few days now, but I felt like I knew him already. I don't think the others quite know how to deal with me, to be honest. Heika was kind to me, and listened to me, but that was only for a day or two at most."  
  
Dear Suzaku, how could he be so blind? Chichiri sighed inwardly, berating himself as he put a hand on the boy's arm. "Chiriko, I'm sorry. For what that's worth. The rest of us have had little time to get to know each other, really. Hotohori, Tamahome and Nuriko have been among each other the longest, and had the longest amount of time to know each other. Myself, Tasuki and Mitsukake only joined them over the past month. This is harder on you than on any of us, I think... of us all, the only one with family still is... was, Tamahome." They both fell silent for a few moments, each of them looking towards the small entrance to the cabin where Tamahome slept. "You were brought to Konan to join us and had to leave your family behind. I know I likely haven't been the most talkative of us lately... but if you give me a second chance, I'll certainly try."   
  
As Chiriko nodded and smiled to him, Chichiri found himself mirroring the boy's expression. He was far too young to have to deal with all of this, and he vowed he'd make it easier any way he could. The soft rumbling of thunder in the distance startled them both out of their thoughts and as one, they turned to face the sound. Chiriko narrowed his gaze, lifting a hand to shield his eyes from the sun above and get a better look. "Those clouds don't look right to me..."  
  
Chichiri had to agree. Ominously black, the clouds hung over the horizon, drawing closer with each gust of wind. The wind itself seemed to grow stronger even over the short amount of time they sat there watching. The monk felt the hair at the back of his neck rise and immediately was on his feet, hand tightening around the staff at his side. "Chiriko, warn the others, no da. This isn't a normal storm."  
  
He wasn't sure if the boy heeded him instantly or if he stood there a moment longer. His concentration was on the impending storm and the fact that the energy surrounding it was manevolant enough to set his teeth on edge. Seiryuu shichiseishi... it had to be one of them. Only their power could leave this kind of signature for anyone to see. His suspicions were confirmed when he realized that his powers of sight couldn't penetrate the clouds at all, in fact they seemed to bounce right off of it. The darkness in the sky seemed to begin to shift, curling around so that no matter what direction they might turn the ship, they would be headed directly into the seething mass.   
  
Scanning the skies, he deduced that they had perhaps another half hour before they would hit the leading edge of the storm. That was enough time to prepare the ship as best they could. He had a sinking feeling however, that if the Seiryuu seishi were indeed behind this... it wasn't going to be easy to get through this. They'd already come into this adventure minus two of their number... how many more would be missing before this was through?  
  
------------------------  
  
TBC 


	6. Chapter 5

Kokoro Mitsukeru Heiwa - Chapter 5  
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It was amazing what could happen in dreams. Anything you wanted, to be exact. Unfortunately, the one thing that Nuriko wanted above all else wasn't to be granted, even in this halfway realm. He didn't know how long he had stayed there, huddled in misery after his friends had disappeared right before his eyes. Alright, so maybe they weren't actually THERE... this could all have been a figment of his rather dazed mind, but it was more than what he'd had before. Even in his dream, however, he sensed that he was being watched. Lifting his gaze, he half expected to see another hazy view of the other seishi... maybe Miaka this time. His tear-filled gaze met eyes of soft aqua, and he found himself scooting back slightly as the blonde pilot knelt down in front of him.  
  
"I'm doing what I can, Nuriko. I promise I'll get you home." One gentle hand reached out, clasping his own and Nuriko felt a soft warmth invade every part of his being. Looking up in confusion, he shook his head softly.  
  
"I can't even talk to you out there... I don't know why I'm here, or what purpose I can serve. I'm needed by my friends, I can't stay here!" Without even realizing it, he'd brought himself up onto his knees and his grip had tightened around the other boy's hand. His eyes were nearly wild with panic as he fought to cling to the one semblance of hope he had. Here, they could speak. They could understand each other and try to figure out what needed to be done. The boy who had been able to talk to him before was gone, and the only contact he had now was Quatre.  
  
A soft smile spread across the Arab's face as he moved to sit next to the rattled seishi. He didn't wince at the iron grip around his hand, he merely let it remain as it seemed to calm the other slightly. "You'll have to wake up soon, you know. We're safe now, and you won't have to see the gundams again if you don't want to. Hopefully we'll have you home before I get called to a mission again."  
  
"Gundam? What's tha--..." His mind drifted back to the last moments before he was knocked unconscious. That must have been what those large beasts had been. "What kind of creatures are those? They must be massive to be able to carry that much armour!"  
  
Quatre chuckled softly, his eyes gleaming as he thought of a way to try and explain. "They're not living creatures. They're very complex machines. Kind of like the boat that your friends are on, only a lot more mobile and a lot more dangerous."  
  
Nuriko seemed to think about that for a few minutes, letting the information sink in. The explanation seemed to be good enough for now, because he looked back to his companion with questioning eyes once again. "How... are you here?" He whispered, as if the though had just struck him.   
  
"Remember back at the house... when you could 'feel' me waking up?" Quatre paused, giving the seishi enough time to remember and nod before he continued. "I can feel things from people... emotion mostly, but I can also pick up thoughts if I try hard enough and am close enough to the person. Currently, you're out cold on a bed in the safehouse I brought us to, and I'm probably slumped at the side of the bed with my hand holding onto yours. It was the only way I could think of to increase the contact enough to try and find you in here."  
  
Nuriko's eyes grew wider with each moment as he listened to the other boy. This sounded a lot like when Chichiri could sense enemies nearby, only more refined. "So.. I AM dreaming... you just managed to get into my dreams?"  
  
Quatre nodded, smiling faintly. "Yes. I was hoping that we'd be able to talk here, since most language barriers are at the conscious level, not the subconscious." At the raised eyebrow, he stopped, thinking of how to explain THIS little theory. For what seemed like hours, they continued to talk and share what information they had. Slowly however, the dreamscape seemed to drift apart and fade. It was then that Quatre rose to his feet, helping Nuriko up as well. "One of us is waking up, and I'm gathering it's you. If I don't wake up right away, there's food down in the kitchen, and the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho is on the table next to the bed. Whatever you do though, don't go far from the house. There's no telling how many of our safehouses were compromised."  
  
Nodding softly, Nuriko stepped back, half closing his eyes as he felt himself pulled into wakefulness. It was a few minutes before he was even able to open his eyes physically and he saw the tousled blond hair of the pilot leaning against the bed. *He wasn't kidding... he really DID manage to get into my dreams.* He thought, slipping from the boy's grasp and getting out of bed. Without a second thought, he picked up Quatre and laid him on the bed so that he could at least get some real rest. He must have been exhausted, if the dark circles under his eyes were any indication. He brushed one hand across the pale forehead, pushing back the shock of blonde bangs that had fallen across the other's eyes. Smiling softly, he turned and left the room, pausing only long enough to grab the precious book from the nightstand. Closing the door behind him, he made his way downstairs to quell his growling stomach.  
  
* * *  
  
When Quatre finally emerged and staggered down the stairs, he was greeted by the sight of a soft light coming from the living room of the small house. It wasn't designed for all of the pilots to stay in, but it had two bedrooms, a decent bath, kitchen and a small room off to the side that had been set up with a few chairs and a radio. Duo hated this one, since there wasn't a television, but at least they didn't have to worry about dealing with the manic pilot this time around. As he stepped into the small room, he saw Nuriko curled into a comfortable chair with several candles flickering on the table next to him. He was engrossed in the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho, and never noticed Quatre's arrival.  
  
"There's lights in here, you realize."  
  
Looking up, Nuriko blinked owlishly then looked to the candles. "I know. I found them."  
  
Chuckling faintly, Quatre decided to let it drop. "I need food and a bath. Not necessarily in that order." He saw Nuriko absorbed in the book once more, but he had pointed one slender hand towards the kitchen.   
  
"Food's in there, and there's a strange room upstairs that looks like it has a tub in it, so I'm assuming that's the bathing room." With that, he curled up once more and lost himself in his reading.  
  
Quatre just nodded and moved off into the kitchen. He'd helped himself to a bowl of vegetables and rice, and it seemed that Nuriko had eventually figured out how to use the stove. He was halfway through with the second bite when the nagging feeling at the back of his mind made itself known in a most spectacular fashion. Nearly dropping the bowl, he bolted towards the living room, crashing into Nuriko halfway there. The seishi had apparently had the same revelation and both of them just stared at each other from the tangled heap they'd landed in.  
  
"You..."  
  
"I understand you..."  
  
Nuriko seemed to grin from ear to ear and hugged onto Quatre tightly. "You have NO idea how good it is to be able to talk to someone again!!" A muffled 'eep' was his only response and he looked down at Quatre's widened eyes before letting the smaller boy go sheepishly. "Sorry."  
  
Quatre just gasped for air, waving away the apology with a smile. "S'okay... I just didn't realize how much I take breathing for granted." Smiling, he got to his feet and helped Nuriko up as well. "Any idea how we can talk to each other now when we couldn't before?"  
  
The violet-haired seishi just shrugged faintly. "Maybe you triggered something when we were talking in my dreams. You said that language barriers were subconscious... maybe us talking that long got my conscious to realize how much of a jerk it was being?"  
  
He couldn't help but giggle at the way Nuriko had explained that one. "Alright, I'll buy that. I'm going to go take a shower now, I think I just shocked my appetite out of me."  
  
"Oh good, you found the food."  
  
"Yeah, but there's only two of us, you didn't have to make so much." Quatre walked back into the kitchen, follwed by the seishi, and began to clean up his bowl and put away the leftovers.   
  
"Sorry. I'm used to cooking for six other people when we travel, and one of them has the appetite of all the others combined." The sweet smile Nuriko put on was enough to make Quatre crack up all over again as he remembered reading of Miaka's eating habits. "Okay, you've got me there. Just remember, I don't eat THAT much."  
  
Once the meal had been put away, Quatre headed upstairs towards the long-awaited shower while Nuriko went back to the book. He was curious as to what was happening with his friends, and found himself literally on the edge of his chair as things progressed. He wasn't aware of how much time passed, only that he nearly jumped out of his skin when a hand came to rest on his shoulder. Looking up with frightened eyes, he caught Quatre's concerned stare.  
  
"Nuriko, what is it?" He'd felt something wrench at him while he was in the shower and knew instinctively where it had come from.  
  
He just pointed one shaky hand towards the book as Quatre curled up to sit in the chair beside him. "They're in trouble... Seiryuu seishi." At Quatre's insistance, he cleared his throat, reading aloud from the book. Apparently while the language barrier had been broken, the blonde still couldn't read Chinese without difficulty.  
  
-- As the skies opened and the rain pounded against the ship's decks, the Miko and her remaining seishi saw the lightning crash down and ignite the sails. The waves rattled the vessel with each motion they made, and the travellers found themselves hard pressed to keep their feet on the violently lurching deck. --  
  
Quatre looked up as the words paused and saw Nuriko turning a shade or two paler than he had been a moment before. "Nuriko..."  
  
"I'm needed there." He looked to the Arab with tears in his eyes, shaking his head in disbelief. "They're in trouble and I'm useless here!" He stood up suddenly, knocking the book to the floor in his urgency. Quatre could feel the panic and guilt that hovered around the older boy, and was about to rise to his feet to try and calm him when a flash of crimson light made them both stagger back.   
  
He couldn't see, but could hear Nuriko shout somewhere on the other side of the light. One arm was brought up to shield his eyes, but as suddenly as it had begun, the light faded and he blinked several times to try and get his vision back.   
  
He was alone... Quatre looked down at the book, faint traces of crimson still flickering around the edges. As he picked it up, his eyes widened, the kanji making sense easily.  
  
-- A rope was thrown overboard to try and haul the fallen ones back onto the ship. In the midst of the storm's assault, Nuriko had returned. --  
  
---------------------------  
  
TBC 


End file.
